Casket



May 4, 1943- H. A. ALLsHousE E-rAL 2,318,353

- I GASKET Filed sept. 3, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 1 #werf Buffa/71%,

May 4, 1943.`

, IH. A. ALLsHOUsE `rs1-Al. 2,318,353

cAsxET Filed Sept. 3, 1940 2 sheets-snee; 2

\ ATTORNEY Patented May 4, 1943 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE GASKET Harry A. Allshouse, Kansas City, Mo., and Albert D. Button and Russell W. Frazier, Wichita, Kans., assignors to The Wichita'Casket Company, Wichita, Kans., a corporation f Kansas Application September 3, 1940, Serial No. 355,110

c claims; (o1. .a- 49) This invention relates to caskets and more particularly to burial caskets, the principal object of the invention being to provide a convenient, relatively economical and efficient burial casket. It is ordinarily necessary for undertakers to stock many types of caskets in order to satisfy the wishes of purchasers of caskets. For example, caskets are made in various shapes of which the following are illustrative: Octagon end, octagon end state, ladies state, square end state, flaring square, square moderne, round end state, round end moderne, square urn side, round end urn side, cut corner square end, cut corner urn side, cut corner round end, cut corner Octagon end, elliptic end shells, circle end shells, square end state with paneled sides and end, and -bowfen shells.

Caskets are also made of various materials of which the following are examples: woods all kinds, hard and soft, also veneer wood, cast iron, Armco iron, copper bearing steel, roofing copper, tin,'sheet bronze (any weight), cast bronze, solid copper (any weight) zinc (any weight) or zinc dipped, Udelite metal, plastic, composition board, all kinds, paper and paperpulp, or any combination thereof.

Caskets are made of various sizes which range approximately from one foot nine inches to seven feet in length and approximately from eight inches to thirty-two inches in inside width. The thickness of material from which the casket is made also varies, for example approximately from onehalf inch to two inches; and the tops of the shells have various configurations and em-v bellishments of which log moulds, square moulds, any shape ogee mouldings and fiat top shells are examples.

rIhe linings for such caskets will also vary between simple and elaborate extremes depending upon the wishes of purchasers and artistic abilities of designers of such linings.

l Caskets are also made in various general types of which half-couch, full-couch and hinged panels are examples.

, 'It can readily be appreciated that a very substantial outlay is required of the undertaker in order to stock suicient types of caskets to ade` quately supply the demand. f l Another object of the invention is, therefore,` to reduce the number of caskets it isnecessary for undertakers to stock and at the same time supply an increased number of selections available for purchasers.

Another object of the invention is to provide combinations of types of caskets and vary the designs or embellishments in the elements of such casketsrespectively-in order to provide a plurality of selections of specific types in a single burial casket.l

Other objects of the invention are to provide improved elements in burial caskets together with improved arrangements thereof.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, we have provided improved details of structure, exemplary forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a burial casket embodying the features of the present invention, the lids thereof being shown in open condition. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through a burial casketof the character illustrated in Fig. 1, showing the relation between a hinged lid and cover and the shell.

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the casket shown in Fig. 2 illustrating a hinged panel in open condition. v

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the burial casket shown in Figs. 1 and 3 illustrating the casket in half couch' forming condition.

Fig. 5 is a detail transverse vertical sectio through the casket substantially on the line'E-S, Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational View of the casket partly in longitudinal section showing a combination of vgeneral types and embellishments in a burial casket.

Referring more in detail to tlre drawings:

I designates a burial casket embodying the features of this invention,` the casket being of suitable sze, shape, material and strength and lgenerally comprising the customary shell. Side walls 2 and 3 and end walls 4 and 5 rise from the base 6 of the shell in suitably. connected relation to form a vault 1. Suitable handling devices 8 and 9 are also provided for the casket.

As above pointed out, the many types, designs, models, and like differences in caskets necessitate a substantial outlay by an undertaker in stocking sufiicient caskets from which purchasers may satisfactorily choose. In reducing the number of caskets the undertaker is required to stock; the present invention provides for lcombining various featuresof various types of lcaskets and in the present instance, a hinged panel part I0 is shown at the left hand side of the casket illustrated in the drawings and a half-couch part of casket I I has been combined therewith, as shown on the right hand side of the casket shown in the drawings. The particular combination is illus,- trative only and other modifications are readily suggested from the above listed examples.

. The hinged panel element of the present ycasket preferably consists of a lid I2 that may cover'approximately half of the open `end of the vault I which lid may be of suitable conformation and which is further preferably hinged, as at I3, to the upper edge of a suitable molding I4 that is suitably arranged on the upper edge of the side walls 2 and 3 and the end wall 4 of the casket shell, the lid being adapted to rest on such molding, when in closed condition as illustrated in Fig. 4, and to be supported thereby, when in open condition, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 6.

The half-couch part of the casket preferably comprises a lid I5 of generally the same character as the lid I2, the lid .I5 preferably being hinged, as at I6, on a side wall molding I1 opposite the molding I4 to which the lid I2 is hinged. The moldings I 8 and I9, the upper edges of which support edges of the lid I5, when in closed condition as shown in Fig. 6, are themselves preferably hinged, as at 20 and 2 I, to the upper edges of the side wall 3 and end wall 5 of the casket shell. Such an arrangement allows the lid to be raised, as shown in Fig. 5, and the moldings to be lowered thus providing a half-couch effect for the casket.

The lids I2 and I5, together with the moldings I 4, are suitably connected to form a unitaryrcover that is preferably hinged, as indicated' at V22, Fig. 2, to a side wall of the casket shell in such a manner as to allow hinging the whole cover relative to the shell in order to facilitate application `of linings to the casket and bodies on the linings.

As shown in Fig. 6, a desired lining 23 may be suitably applied to the interior of the lid I2 and a suitable lining 24, together with a .iiller 25, a' cushion 26'and drapes 21, 28 may be applied to the hinged panel vault portion of the casket shell. The half-couch vault portion of the casket shell may be and preferably is provided with a suitable type of lining 29 on the lid therefor, together with Aa liningBIJ, ller 3|, cushion 32 and drapes 33, all of which latter are in harmony with each other, but different relative to the correspending interiors of the hinged panel section,

the transverse member 34 to separate the compartments formed by the arrangement noted.

With a casket constructed vas described, various general types of burial casket features may be combined. The interiors of hinged panel types of caskets may be suitably lined and dec- 'j of required stock and that the purchaser is, therefore, benefited at less expense to the seller. It is further apparent that the present invention provides a convenient, economical and efficient vcasket of the character and for the purposes noted.

`W'hat we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a device of the character described, a burial casket shell, separate lids arranged substantially in end to end relation respectively hingedly mounted on opposite sides of the shell to cover an open end of the shell said lids opening in opposite directions, means in said shell dividing said shell into separate compartments and said compartments each having different decorative means to provide a different appearance thereto.

2. In a device of the character described, a burial casket shell, separate lids arranged substantially in end to end relation respectively hingedly mounted on opposite sides of the shell to-cover an open end of the shell, means ln'said shell approximately between said lids dividing said shell into separate compartments, and different Ydecorative means in said compartments respectively.

r'3. In a device of the character described, `a burial casket shell, a lid hinged to said shell, another lid hinged on the opposite side of said shell approximately contiguous to said first named lid, a drop panel, a partition arranged approximately between said lids for supporting the drop panel to separate said shell into compartments, 'and different vdecorative means in said compartments respectively.

l 4. In a device of the character described, a burial casket shell, a licl hinged to said shell, another lid hinged on the opposite side of said shell approximately contiguous to said first named lid, moldings on said shell in supporting relation to said lids, portions of said moldings being hinged to said shell to form a half-couch typecasket at a portion of said shell, and different decorative means in said half-couch portion I and the remainder of the interior of said casket orated and the interiors of half-couch types of caskets, for example, may be differently suitably lined and decorated, both in the same burial casket shell.

Whenthe caskets are` vplaced on display for selection of type or decoration by purchasers, the hinged panel lid I 2 may be raised, for example, as shown in Fig. 6, while the half-couch portion of the casket remains closed. The hinged panel lid I2 may then be closed and the half-couch lid I5 opened and the moldings dropped to display a` half-couch typel of burial casket. A wider selection is thus provided for purchasers of caskets and a selection having been made, the desired casket and desired decorations may be furnished without the necessity for relining acasket of one particular type with decorations and other embellishments of another particular type.

It is apparent therefore that a wider selection of caskets is `provided from a narrower range 75 respectively.

5. In a device of the character described, a burial casket shell, a lid hinged to said shell, another lid hinged on the opposite side of said shell approximately contiguous to said first named lid, moldings on said shell in supporting relation to said lids, means unitarily hinging said moldings to said shell to cooperate with said lids in forming a coverfor said shell, and different decorative means in said half-couch portion and the remainder of the interior of said casket respectively.

6. In a device of the character described, a

burial casket shell, a panel lid hinged at one side thereof to one side of said shell, a half-couch lid hinged at the side thereof opposite said panel lid hinge to the opposite side Yof said shell in substantially contiguous end to end relation to said panel lid, a drop panel arranged between said lids to separate s aid shell into compartments, said compartments being provided with different decorative means respectively, molding on said shell in supporting relation to said lids, and means unitarily hinging said moldings to said shell to form a cover therefor.

HARRY A. ALLSHOUSE. ALBERT D. BU'I'ION. RUSSELL W. FRAZIER. 

